Fletcher finally heaps praise on Panesar

Duncan Fletcher has finally acknowledged the heroic achievements of Monty Panesar, describing the England bowler as the best finger spinner in the international game after his match-winning exploits in the third Test against Pakistan.

The England coach had continued to express reservations about Panesar after he took eight wickets on a helpful second-Test pitch at Old Trafford. But his performance at Headingley, where even Shane Warne has taken only three wickets in three Tests, has persuaded Fletcher he has something special on his hands - so much so that for once he did not feel compelled to mention Panesar's fielding or batting, elements the coach had previously insisted required massive improvement if the 24-year-old was going to establish himself as a regular Test player.

"I don't think there's a finger spinner in world cricket that can match him," he said after Panesar had completed match figures of six for 166, the best analysis by an England slow bowler at the venue for 21 years. Since that definition presumably includes the injured Ashley Giles, it is fair to say the Northamptonshire slow left-armer has at last won over his most exacting critic.

"He's a great sort of character in that he doesn't seem to get intimidated," said Fletcher. "He brings out energy in the other players and his enthusiasm rubs off on them. That's very important."

The cynics might point out that since orthodox finger spinners are an increasingly rare breed Fletcher's compliment could be interpreted as faint praise. But this was a heartfelt slap on the back from a man who was characterised in some quarters as a curmudgeon for his comments after the second Test.

"Monty bowled very well again," he said after England had wrapped up a 167-run win on Tuesday to take an unassailable 2-0 lead to next week's final Test at The Oval. "Their leg-spinner Danish Kaneria was uncomfortable against our batters but Monty got a lot of bounce from the pitch and showed again that he can turn it. The big thing is that he's got that good control that's required."

Panesar has already taken the prize wickets of Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan eight times this summer, and he described the delivery that bowled Younis in Pakistan's second innings as the best of his career.

Just as tellingly, Fletcher bridled at the notion that he had been considering leaving Panesar at home this winter instead of including him in England's Ashes squad. "Who said I wasn't going to take him to Australia?" he asked. "There was always a good chance. With 18 players, he was definitely one of them. He's just making a stronger and stronger claim. I don't think there's a better finger spinner at the moment in world cricket."

Fletcher was also effusive about his other young British Asian, Sajid Mahmood, who put an indifferent first-innings display and some edgy banter with the Pakistan fans in the Headingley crowd behind him to take four for 22 and confirm his place on the plane to Australia.

"We were always pretty confident in Saj," he said. "I've seen some real potential in him. The first thing is the pace, and I've also been impressed by the fact that he keeps trying things, even if they don't work first time. He's quite a calm individual. But the key thing is the speed. We've got to have someone who bowls at 90mph."

Mahmood's stirring Test debut against Sri Lanka at Lord's in May had threatened to be overshadowed by a harrowing one-day series, and at Old Trafford he was reduced to the role of spectator. England, though, sensed he was made of stronger stuff.

"I'm sure a lot of people were saying, 'What's going on?'" said Fletcher. "But there were questions raised for a long time about Simon Jones too. Saj has got a lot to learn, and we've still got to get his wrist right. But if he can bowl consistently like that he can be pretty effective."